PoK ‘Prime Minister’ Resigns

15 October 2009PTI

Islamabad: Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) “Prime Minister” Sardar Yaqoob Khan has resigned ahead of a planned no-confidence motion against him by the opposition parties in the Assembly. Mr. Khan said he was quitting to avoid a political controversy in the legislative Assembly and to discourage horse-trading. “I took this decision to discourage horse-trading in the Assembly and set a democratic tradition aimed at promoting democracy,” Mr. Khan told reporters on Wednesday night after submitting his resignation to the PoK “President“. He sought to dispel the impression that he was resigning due to the planned no-confidence motion, saying: “I have tendered my resignation without any pressure.” Mr. Khan said he did not use his power to dissolve the Assembly as he had “always respected democracy and democratic traditions”. Asked about the status of his cabinet, he made it clear that the body had been dissolved automatically after his resignation. He took oath as “Prime Minister” in January after a successful no-confidence motion against former incumbent Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan. The new “Prime Minister” will be the third to be elected by the current Assembly. Mr. Khan’s resignation was an outcome of the merger of two factions of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference. A new “Prime Minister” must be elected within 14 days. Keywords: Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, PoK, Sardar Yaqoob Khan, Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan, All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference